Latin America and the Caribbean Overview: July 2026
Gang violence against civilians hit a monthly high in Ecuador, police killings in Jamaica became more lethal, and violence persisted in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Gang violence against civilians hit a monthly high in Ecuador, police killings in Jamaica became more lethal, and violence persisted in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Trump's efforts to influence governments in the region in pursuit of his security strategy are effective, but unlikely to substantially curb organized crime and drug trafficking.
Militarized responses to organized crime are likely to spread further as governments adopt tough-on-crime measures and the US exerts more pressure.
A look at states of emergency in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago shows that these measures are likely ineffective at curbing gang violence in the long term.
Haiti and Caribbean territories face escalating gang violence impacting civilians and democratic processes.